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The best grill in Ayia Napa - What are the classics and where can you get them?

MAR 24, 2019

Experience the best grill in Ayia Napa and love the history behind the foods and the methods used for engraving the best and most authentic dishes.

Ayia Napa has an abundance of restaurants and the choice of food is seemingly endless. With the choice by so rife, how do you choose a good grill and what do you look for on the menu for the best restaurant experience.

Cypriot food, and its Greek origin, uses the grill as one of its primary tools for preparing food. Because of its ancient history, the basic grill or bbq method has been used for approximately 3000 years, yet it has stood the test of time as one of the most authentic and best food preparation methods in Ayia Napa, Cyprus and Greece. The use of charcoal is also the preferred method because of the slight smokey, charred taste it gives to the meat. You should expect a slightly crisp bite and then an explosion of flavour due to the slow rendered fat within.

The Souvla

The souvla is a Cypriot method of preparation, much like its big brother, the souvlaki, it uses a barbeque with long skewers over a bed of charcoal. They key difference between the two, however, is the size of the meat and the distance from the coal. The Souvla, more popular in Cyprus, uses larger piece of meat aligned on a metal skewer. Because the meat chunks are much larger, they take longer to cook. They are cooked at a further distance from the coal to ensure the outsides have a little char yet the centres are fully cooked.

This method of preparation requires constant attention and the meat is turned regularly to ensure a consistent cook. The meats used are normally pork, lamb and chicken thigh meat (the tastiest bit). They are marinated using Greek Cypriot herbs and spices, but the emphasis is on the taste of the meat with a little of the complimentary additional notes.

Grilled fish and seafood

Cyprus and Greece are islands in the Mediterranean. Due to the island sizes and proximity to the coastline, the seafood options are abundant. Often the best option for preparation is the grill and authentic restaurants would use a griddle or spit over the charcoal. Most fish recipes are based around the Greek classics, Olive Oil, Lemon, Garlic and Oregano.

The go to dishes for a truly wonderful seafood meal are:

Sea Bream or Sea Bass – Very light textured fish which take on the light herb flavours well. A good squeeze of lemon finishes this dish perfectly. A Bass or Bream is good to eat alone or pair it with some Greek sides, like Tzatziki with Pita or Pilaf for the hungrier of us.

Grilled Octopus – Some fear this dish due to its appearance and because often they haven’t seen it before. Yet this is one of the tastiest seafood dishes you could possibly try. It is meaty and filling, adopts the flavour of the sea and is well complimented by classic Greek herbs.

Grilled Lobster – a classic and a fancy one at that. This creature has the ability to give the most incredible dining experience. Because of its body, when grilled, the lobster will hold the natural juices giving it amazing tenderness and moistness, yet will adopt a slight chargrilled taste.

As with all fish dishes, it is vital that the freshness and source of the fish is identified, plus the chef needs to have experience on preparing this meat. These dishes are delicate and if not cooked correctly can be easily spoilt. Ask your waiting staff about the food and the chef.

Whole roasted lamb

Normally delivered as a celebratory meal at Easter, Birthdays and Baptisms, the whole roasted lamb encapsulates the Cypriot Greek rules of cooking; keep it simple, take your time, use classic ingredients and methods. The lamb is prepared with incision in the meat from the outside and stuffing the body from the inside to ensure a full infusion of the herbs used. It takes several hours of constant rotation to cook the lamb and as such isn’t a normal menu item for a restaurant but one that is pre-ordered for a special occasion.

The Meze

The Meze is a classic meal and is popular from throughout Europe to as far east as the Middle East. It is a dish that is comprised of many smaller dishes of food. The idea is to give one a full experience of the menu. It is often served as a fish based meze or a meat based meze, but a good chef can mix it up for you on request. The best restaurants will be able to couple each of the courses with the wines, beers and spirits that truly compliment the meal.

With the Meze give yourself ample time and plentiful belly space to enjoy the experience. Ensure you have a coastal setting to enjoy the views whilst enjoy the multiple flavours of Ayia Napa.